§ Sir Sydney ChapmanTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received from the Royal College of Radiologists about waiting times for radiotherapy; [179211]
1349W(2) what proportion of patients needing (a) radical radiotherapy, (b) palliative radiotherapy for cancer and (c) radiotherapy after surgery have waited for treatment for longer than the recommended maximum. [179212]
§ Miss Melanie Johnson[holding answers 21 June 2004]: We have not received any direct representations from the Royal College of Radiologists recently about radiotherapy waiting times. The national cancer director is working closely with officers of the college to ensure that the times patients wait for radiotherapy are minimised.
Data on waiting times for radiotherapy are not collected centrally. The NHS Cancer Plan set out maximum waiting time targets for cancer treatment, which may include radiotherapy where this is given as a first definitive treatment. From December 2001, there is a one month maximum wait from diagnosis to first treatment for breast cancer and a one month wait from urgent general practitioner referral to first treatment for children's cancers, testicular cancer and acute leukaemia. From 2002, there is a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment for breast cancer. By 2005, there will be a maximum two month wait from urgent referral to treatment and a maximum one month wait from diagnosis to first treatment for all cancers.
To tackle radiotherapy waiting times we are increasing the numbers of therapy radiographers in post and in training, making better use of existing staff, making unprecedented investment in new radiotherapy equipment, and streamlining the patient journey.